Science

Canada will spend almost $700 million to build a new RADARSAT Constellation Mission satellite, slated for launch in the early 2030s, ensuring continued Arctic sea‑ice monitoring and strengthening sovereign surveillance capabilities.

Scientists say that a warmer Northwest Territories is breeding more mosquito species, already altering Arctic caribou grazing patterns and prompting calls for stronger personal protection.

The Arctic AIR team has equipped a UAV with specialized brackets to carry hyperspectral water‑color sensors, enabling more precise monitoring of coastal environments across the Arctic.

Researchers are testing a visual detection system in Arctic shipping lanes to protect whales from vessel strikes as sea‑ice retreat expands maritime traffic.

A Canadian Coast Guard ship, the Louis St. Laurent, is set to enter Arctic waters to carry out scientific studies alongside a diplomatic outreach mission, expanding Canada’s presence and collaboration in the region.

A refined model projects a significant rise in Arctic building stock by mid‑century, highlighting that near‑surface permafrost thaw could jeopardize the infrastructure essential for sustaining local communities.

Researchers aboard the Tara Polaris I custom research vessel will drift across Arctic sea ice for eight months, collecting data that supports long‑term climate monitoring.

Reduced sea‑ice cover from intensified Arctic warming has triggered a sea‑ice entrapment event in the southern Chukchi Sea, heightening risks for shipping and drawing growing geopolitical attention to the area.

Scientists present a new statistical model that predicts sea‑ice concentration in the Arctic, enabling more accurate routing decisions for ships as warming reduces ice cover. It integrates satellite observations with extreme‑value techniques to forecast ice coverage months ahead.

Researchers found PFAS in Svalbard reindeer liver spiked more than ninefold over the past decade, with new chemical fingerprints pointing to distant industrial sources rather than local contamination. While levels stay below toxicity thresholds, the rise prompts a new guideline limiting weekly consumption of reindeer liver to 11.5 g.

WWF has mapped the migratory paths of beluga, bowhead and narwhal whales in the Arctic Ocean and surrounding seas.

A Pennsylvania laboratory has decoded new data on Arctic permafrost, offering deeper insight into how rising temperatures may alter the region's fragile ice layers.

Researchers from Colorado State University tested a new remote‑sensing instrument aboard an aircraft over the Canadian Arctic, aiming to improve atmospheric data collection for the polar environment.

The study examined 78 samples from seven Greenlandic middens and uncovered over a thousand bacterial species, including pathogens like Clostridium perfringens and antibiotic‑resistance genes that survived 4,500 years. As warming thaws the permafrost, these microbes may be released into coastal waters, potentially affecting local ecosystems and communities.

The study finds that vessels near Arctic land and sea ice produce atmospheric concentration spikes 10‑100 times higher than background levels, exposing a previously hidden environmental cost of Arctic maritime activity.

Summer warmth over the Arctic Ocean primarily melts snow on sea ice, reducing surface reflectivity and potentially accelerating ice thinning.

A report from the Arctic Observing Summit 2026 recommends that Arctic research and monitoring shift to an Indigenous‑led model, urging Indigenous communities to lead future scientific governance.

HX, together with research partners, is trialing thermal imaging to detect whales in real time during Arctic voyages, aiming to improve ship safety and reduce wildlife impacts.

Scientists are working in Cambridge Bay (Ikaluktutiak) and across the Arctic to refreeze sea ice, a step that may help sustain local fishing communities.

Researchers aboard a drifting laboratory will study biology in the Arctic Ocean while braving darkness and cold.